


Playing With Fire

by unsettled



Category: Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-20
Updated: 2010-08-20
Packaged: 2017-10-11 04:35:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/108455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unsettled/pseuds/unsettled
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It hurts; of course it hurts, but the trick is not to care that it hurts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Playing With Fire

The summons to the meeting is rich, unembellished, reeking of power in every curve of well educated copperplate. Henry watches him from his chair, weighing his reactions, and he knows what this means; Henry has not received such an invitation. He stays standing at his desk, dark eyes boring into his shoulders, and memorizes the time and address, both familiar enough to make his lip curl. He is too careful to leave such evidence; he holds a corner to the wavering flame of a candle, waits for it to catch. The paper is thick enough that it almost smothers the flame instead, but still, it burns, light curling up the edges, charring the ivory. The flames reach his fingers, brush his skin with heat, and he turns his hand over, cupping the flame in the palm of his hand, watching it burn. It hurts; of course it hurts, but the trick is not to care that it hurts.

Behind him, Henry draws a sharp breath, exhales it in a started "Nicholas!", and rises from his chair with unseemly haste to knock away the fire caught in Coward's palm. He glances up; Henry's lips are tight, his hands warm against Coward's.

Henry should understand. Coward cups the flame in the palm of his hand every moment he spends with Henry; the danger is no longer in being with him, but simply in being. His touch is burning, his thoughts are burning, his kisses leave pale scars. It's dangerous; of course it's dangerous. The trick is to want it more than he fears it.

He could close his hand, cover the scald on his skin with fingers and shadows, open it again unblemished and painless, bring a smile to Henry's face. He leaves it be; it is better that he is reminded of just what he is playing with.


End file.
